Parts of B.C. facing drought conditions

The B.C. government says drought conditions in the northern half of the province could put fish stocks at risk and lead to water shortages.

Levels of the Liard and Skeena rivers are at 20-year lows, while the Bulkley River is at a 10-year low.

Parts of northern B.C. got only about one quarter to one half the normal amount of rain in the last two months and the government says drought conditions will get worse unless there is significant rainfall in the near future.

The province is encouraging people to conserve water and is urging local officials to implement and review drought management plans.

The Cariboo region is also dry with the Quesnel and Horsefly rivers at 10 to 20-year lows, while flows along the Fraser River are at a 10-year low.

Other dry areas of B.C. include Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan, which saw about two thirds of their normal rainfall the last two months.

In southern B.C., the cool, wet weather of May and June helped lessen the impacts of the dry, hot July. Most water levels in that region are generally average or just starting to decline to below average.